Memories Come to Haunt
by Codiak
Summary: Sequel to "Video Memories." When Danny makes a return, can he lay to rest the last details of his human existence while finding a way to fit himself into the life that was built without him? HIATUS. But don't worry, I'm not forgetting about it.
1. Reborn

**You thought I forgot about this, didn't you? WELL, HERE IT IS.**

**READ THIS: I don't know when updates will come, so...count on terrible updates. :D**

****This has been edited.**

****'Video Memories…' has been edited for a second time with larger changes. I would at least read the last chapter again so that you are not confused if you have not read it since the second edit.**

**;)**

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><p><em>"Hello, Danny. I'm glad you're here."<em>

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><p>Deep within the confines of the Ghost Zone, a power swirled to one concentrated spot. It was unnoticeable at first, and so was the echo of a voice; however, with each passing minute, both the swirling power and voice grew in size and volume.<p>

_"Hello, Danny. I'm glad you're here."_

Green sparks lighted themselves from seemingly nothing, small _pops_ sounding out each time a new one came to life. Little by little, a ball of energy formed and grew in size. The voice became louder as a result.

_"Hello, Danny. I'm glad you're here."_

Residents of the world slowly ceased with what they had been doing beforehand, curiously listening to the words that floated to every crook and crevice. The usually dead air held a static to it, and some of the ghosts retreated to the safety of their lairs while others travelled nearer to the source.

_"Hello, Danny. I'm glad you're here."_

The green ball of energy crackled with what looked like electricity, sparking and hissing as it grew in mass.

_"Hello, Danny. I'm glad you're here."_

The ghosts that had begun to venture toward it felt a change in the atmosphere and retreated as fast as they could, escaping from the voice that followed after them with a deafening reverberation. A balance was breaking in the Ghost Zone and none of them wanted to stay around to watch the outcome.

_"Hello, Danny. I'm glad you're here."_

With an ominous clap that might have pierced the eardrums of the living, an invisible wave of power surged through the Ghost Zone, stretching to the farthest reaches of the world and freezing everything with a frightened pause. No creature moved an ectoplasmic cell in fear of what might happen.

_"Hello, Danny. I'm glad you're here…"_

The voice died down to nothing as the ball settled, a new form taking its place. Ectoplasm rushed over invisible limbs until the body of what appeared to be a human materialized, it laying horizontally in the lifeless air. The green figure slowly gained color and texture, and eventually, a teenage boy was floating in the midst of the Ghost Zone.

Intense green eyes snapped open and a sharp breath brought the chest to move before it stilled.

Danny Phantom stared above at the endless space, the voice still ringing through his head. His mouth moved soundlessly, struggling to find a way to make a noise. After some time, his lips and throat coordinated to whisper, "Sam." The ghost wearily turned over and stared below; he could not see the ground, but that didn't matter to him.

His newly forming mind could only grasp one thing: Sam.

Carefully drifting forward, Danny shuddered as the chilled environment wafted over the suit that hadn't been seen within the Ghost Zone in over a decade. He shook his head a few times to clear the silvery strands of hair that fell into his eyes so he could see clearly.

_"You need a haircut." _Danny furrowed his brow at the memory. "_What are you thinking about?"_

_"I don't want to die."_

_"Then don't."_

_"I wish it was that simple."_

Anger suddenly welled up inside of him and he propelled faster toward his destination. In the back of his mind, he felt like a homing pigeon, not needing to be told where to go, but simply knowing by heart. But the anger picked at Danny, pulling a short growl from his throat.

It was all _his_ fault. _He _was the one who did this to him. _He _was the one who crushed everything into pieces.

"Plasmius," Danny snarled. He felt the tingly sensation of his legs morphing into a tail as he jutted through the Ghost Zone, twisting and turning around various doors and other objects that got in his way.

Danny wasn't sure what he wanted more at that moment: to see his fiancé or to slaughter his eternal enemy. But no matter how things went once he got through the Fenton Portal, he knew he would keep fighting until things were finally set right.

Whether it cost him his afterlife or not.

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><p><strong>Everything will be explained eventually.<strong>

**;)**


	2. Here

"Come on, Shay," Jackson complained, nudging her side. "Don't you want to check out the inventions in the lab?"

Shay rolled her green eyes, shaking her head and countering, "You want to do that _all_ the time, Jackson. I've seen everything. Besides, your mom doesn't want us to hang out down there."

"Hey, it's not like I could get ghost powers," he joked. "I'm already that awesome!"

She tapped her palm into her forehead as they reached the corner of the street they had been travelling on. "A quarter awesome. And we have homework to do."

"We just finished the first day of school. It's not terrible work."

She waved at him as they parted ways. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" Shay smiled. "And do your work, Jackson. I'd rather not have you grounded so soon."

Jackson muttered under his breath as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, yeah… I'll just explore by myself then."

"That's the spirit."

He turned to stick his tongue out at her as he crossed the street, she grinning back. Soon enough, he was walking up his porch steps and after trying the door to find it locked, phased through it instead of searching for his personal key.

"Mom?" he called. "You're not home, right?" When he received no response, he dropped his backpack by the door and continued into the kitchen to rifle through the cabinets. "A quick snack and then I'll get to hang out in the lab until Mom gets—"

A shattering noise reached his ears from the lab.

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><p>Danny Phantom cautiously floated into the lab of Fenton Works. He touched his feet to the floor and glanced back at the portal in confusion. "Why's it open?" he whispered.<p>

After he had calmed himself enough to come through the portal without blowing up at the first thing he saw, his mind had searched itself for a way to get into the human realm with a closed portal. However, he had found there was no such problem to be dealt with.

Shrugging off the oddity as something that had just changed in his absence, Danny licked his lips, eyes surveying the room. Everything seemed relatively the same. There were metal scraps and devices scattered over tables; they looked a bit neater than he remembered.

His eyes soon caught a glimpse of the mirror hanging against one of the walls, and he moved toward it as if it would leap out and bite him. Danny took in his appearance with apprehension, seeing the same boyish face he remembered and the same shaggy head of white hair. The same lithe body. The same childish eyes.

His throat started to tighten, and he swallowed hard before closing his eyes, longing for that once familiar tingle of his human half taking over. But there was nothing there, just an empty feeling that consumed his dead chest.

Fury blinded his sight as he opened his eyes, and they shined a brighter green. With a growl, he slammed his fist into the mirror, watching the sharp particles sprinkle to the ground. His shoulders moved as if he was heavily breathing, though he knew that no air was reaching any pair of lungs within him.

"Sweetheart, you home yet?"

He froze, head snapping toward the stairs at the voice he'd longed for.

"Yeah, Mom, I'll be right there. I just want to…check something."

That voice. Danny vaguely remembered it from the time before he was whole again. He'd heard it a couple times, but who…

Footsteps suddenly sounded from the stairs and he tensed, eyes staring at the bottom of the steps. A figure appeared, turning his head from one side of the room to the other- The figure spotted Danny.

Violet eyes widened as did Danny's own green ones. They stared at each other for a moment while Danny racked his brain for the name of- "Jackson?" he asked in wonder. He glanced over the familiar tee shirt before locking his gaze with the teenager's.

Jackson gaped at him, still frozen in shock…or perhaps fear. After another few seconds, he turned, running up the stairs and screaming, "_Mooooom!_"

Danny cussed under his breath, floating a bit toward the stairs. "Wait!" he called. "I'm sorry! Come back—"

"What are you yelling about?"

"No, Mom! Don't go down there! Please! Mom!"

"Honestly, I don't know what gets into you someti—" Sam reached the bottom step and froze, much like her son had. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she moved her mouth like she wanted to say something but could not.

"Sam," Danny whispered. She looked so…grown up. Her hair was definitely longer, and her clothes seemed…lighter. A grey tank top and blue jeans, actual sneakers.

"Danny," Sam stated, voice weak, but still audible.

The ghost gave the tiniest of smiles. "Hello, Sam. I'm glad I'm here, too."

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><p><strong>Again, everything will eventually be explained. ;)<strong>


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